Printing press



J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Dec. 17', 1940.

14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi led Sept. 20, 1937 QQN INVENTOR lo/1n 13- Tyle r by W ATTORNZYS Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER v PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENAOR JOHN D. TYLER DY ATTORN YS Dec. 17, 1940. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1937 14 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHN D TYLER ATTORNEYS f2 ll Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TQYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20/1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOHN D TYLER w y; r ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 JOHN D. TYLER M y Gttomegs D86. 17, 1940. J TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 h r m w W m mT A v D n W: hi M: N\\ M @E w m 9 @3 5 my: 774? 47 67 a 47 1\. 3w m b5 \w QM a Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1937 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR JOHN D. TYLER ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Zhwentor JOHN D TYLER (Ittomegs Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1937 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR UOHN D. TYL R QNT 9. AVA

ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1940. J. TYLER 2,224,886

PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1937 14 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR JOHND.TYLER av I W ATTORNEYS '7 l4 Sheets-Sheet 11 J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 193

Dec. 17, 1940.

Dec. 17, 1940.

Filed Sept. 20, 195'? J. D. TYLER Z.224,8 86

PRINTING PRESS 14 Sheets-Shet 12 INVENTOR -JOHN D- TYLER W iw) ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1940. I J. D. TYLER I PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1937 14 Sheets-Sheet 15 Zinnmtor OHN D. TYLER W V W I (Ittomeg Dec. 17, 1940. J. D. TYLER PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 1'4 Sheets-Sheet 14 1 E| l M.

lying: 2a

linomtor JOHN D. TYL ER Emit,

' the printing form,

Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE rm'rmo raEss John Duke Tyler, Birmingham, Ala. Application September 20, 1931, Serial No. 164,726

27 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing press of the reciprocating bed type, that is, one in which either of type, mimeograph stencil, plate, or other form, reciprocates beneath a cylindrical platen or impression roller, and the paper is printedby-being held or pressed against the printing setup by the impression roller.

Among the special features which distinguish my improved printing press are an improved sheet feeding mechanism embodying a moving belt with sheet gripping means at intervals thereon which bear downwardly on a stackof sheets by gravity. The sheets are supported in an inclined position and are moved upwardly by the belt against the force of gravity, whereby gravity assists in the separation of the sheets. The feeding mechanism also embodies an improved sheet separating means which includes a frictional separating member adapted to engage each sheet, and where more than one sheet happens to be engaged by the gripping means, to return the extra sheet to the stack. The separating means also embodies a frame mounting with means to vary the degree of frictional engagement with the sheets being fed, whereby to adapt the feeding means to sheets of different weights and quality.

Another important feature of my invention is a guide assembly consisting of lateral guides and guides to bear downwardly on the paper, also guides for directing the paper around the cylindrical platen or impression roller, all of which are coupled together and adjustable as a unit.

Other important features of my invention include the paper positioning means and the feeler mechanism for controlling the operation of the press responsive to paper feed. While these and other features are disclosed in this application, they are to be coveredand claimed in other applications.

Other distinguishing features of my improved invention will be apparent from the description and from the annexed drawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. l is a plan view of my improved machine with inking mechanism removed the better to show the details of the reciprocatory bed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation drawn to a somewhat larger scale with parts broken away and with part of feeder mechanism removed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly'in section, of sheet feeding means; I

Figs. 4 and 5 are-detail views of idler pulleys employed with the feed belt;

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, of the lower, or pickup end of the feed belt with sheet separating means in place;

Fig. '1 is a detail view of the separating member and its frame removed from the feeder as- 5 sembly;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along VIIIV1II of F18. 6;

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing alternateforms of sheet gripping means;

Fig. 11 is a detail plan view of guides associated with my improved feeder mechanism and their adjusting means;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the guides shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detail view showing means included in the guide means to cause long sheets to overlap as they are fed to the press;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view showing delivery of a sheet of paper to the cylindrical platen;

Fig. 15 is a detail view showing the support for the end bearing of'the feed roll associated with the cylindrical platen;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary detail side elevation showing guide means which carry the sheets around the cylindrical platen, together with my improved sheet stop means;

Fig. 17 is a view taken along the line XVII-XVII of Fig. 16; 30

Figs. 18 and 19 show modified forms of the guides shown in Figs. 16 and 17;

Figs. 20 and 21 are detail'plan and sectional views of a guide interposed between the delivery end of the feed belt and the cylindrical platen;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary side elevation with covering wall removed showing the operating mechanism for the platen or impression roll;

Figs. 23 and 24 are plan and elevational views respectively of the platen or impression roll and its frame;

Fig. 25 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line XXV-XXV of Fig. 22;

Fig. 26 is ,a perspective view of the feeler mechanism employed with my improved printing press;

Fig. 2'7 is a perspective view of rocker arm and segmental gear of feeler mechanism;

Figs. 28 to 32' inclusive are detail sectional views showing the cycle of movement of the feeler element;

Fig. 33 is a detail view of rocker arm and segmental gear of feeler mechanism taken on opposite side from Fig. 27;

Figs. 34 and 35' are the line detail perspective views I illustrating in part the controlling action of the feeler mechanism;

Fig. 36 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI of Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is a sectional view of the switch operating mechanism; and

Fig. 38 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows XXXVIII-XBVHI of Fig. 37.

The machine is supported on suitable leg or frame supports it, on which is mounted a driving motor II. If desired, it may also be driven manually by the crank C at. the side, shown in The motor drives the press through a .;i

Themoving Fig. l. belt l2 and a train of gears l8. parts of the press are located in a cabinet frame ll of box-like construction. Driven from the train of gears I3 is a sprocket wheel l6, over which runs a sprocket chain l1. and which passes over a second sprocket wheel [8 mounted in the cabinet frame. Carried by the sprocket chain I1 is a pin I9, which bears in a yoke 2| carried by a reciprocating bed 22. The bed 22 rests upon rollers 23 riding on a suitable track I in the side of the frame ll. When the machine is in operation, each time the bed 22 reciprocates, animpression roller or platen 24 mounted above the bed 22, presses a sheet of paper against a printing form on the bed in a manner well understood. "Rotating with the sprocket I6 is a worm it which meshes with a gear 20 and drives the latter in synchronism with the sprocket. A link 25 connects the gear 20 to the arm of a hydraulic snubber 30. The relation of the gears is such that the gear 20 rotates twice for each reciprocation of the bed '22, whereby the snubber acts as a shock absorber at each end of the stroke of the bed.

Driven from the train of gears I3 is a gear 28 mounted on a shaft 21, which extends through the side wall of the frame of the machine and through gears 28a drives a shaft 28 mounted in bearings 29 on the side of the frame. The other end of the shaft 28 has a miter gear 3| meshing with a similar gear carried by a shaft 32 extending across the frame of the machine, and carrying on its opposite end a miter gear 33 through which a longitudinally extending shaft 34 is driven. The shaft 34 drives a cross shaft 38 through bevel gears 31, which cross shaft is the main drive for a feed belt 38. K

The feed belt 38 is made of fabric, rubber, or other suitable flexible material, and is formed with transverse segmental projections 39 on its inner surface which mesh with segmental grooves ll formed on a driving sprocket 42 carried on the shaft 36. The drive sprocket 42 is driven from the shaft 36 through a manually operable clutch 300 which is preferably designed to yield and slip in event there should be too heavy as load on the feed belt such as might occur should a sheet become rumpled or tangled in its way through the machine. By disengaging the clutch manually the machine may be run without the paper feed. which is desirable in starting up, permitting a thorough inking of the printing form. The position of the drive sprocket 42 on the shaft 38 may be adjusted laterally, as by means of set screws 35. This adjustment is important in that the belt must be properly aligned or else the paper will move laterally from its proper direction.

An idler 43 bears on the upper surface of the belt 38 and bends it around the sprocket 42 to cause a maximum number of transverse segments to mesh with the teeth in the driving sprocket.

The rearward end of the feed belt 28 runs on an directly beneath idler pulley 44 carried by a shaft extending across the bed of the machine. The position of the pulley 44 on the shaft it may be adjusted as by means of adjustingscrews 45. (See Fig. 14.) The forward endof the feed belt 28 turns downwardly from the drive sprocket 42 and passes over an idler pulley 41 carried by a yoke ll, which yoke is pivotallimnounted at 48, whereby it ,is free to swing around its pivot point ll to adapt itself with its assembly to the stack of paper from which the belt is feeding. The yoke 48 is provided at its lower end with a slot II in which the zjournals B2 of the idler 41 are mounted, whereby it is free to move in the slots to accommodate itself to the position of the belt ll.

The paper to be fed tothe machine is carried in a rack 53 inclined downwardly at an angle of approximately 60 from the frame of the machine whereby to .take advantage ofthe force of gravity in the separation of sheets, as will hereafter be shown. The lower end of the rack 53 is provided with an adjustable bracket ll to accommodate sheets of difl'erent lengths, and is so adiusted as to bring the upper ends of the sheets the idler pulley 47. The idler pulley 41 is mounted on the shaft I2 separately from disks '6 and II at each end thereof, which disks are larger in diameter than the pulley 41 and which bear against the pile of sheets of paper to be fed to the machine (Fig. 4). The purpose of this is to provide a gap between the paper and the pulley 41 under which the paper passes and to insure that there will be no frictional pull by the belt on the sheets until it is the proper time for a sheet to be fed to the machine, as will presently be described. As an additional precaution, thin disks SI and I! are provided between the ends of the pulley l1 and the disks and l! to insure against frictional rotation of the disks II and I! by reason of lateral engagement with the feed belt I8.

The feed belt 22 preferably carries on its outer surface at regular intervals, gripping means such as friction pads 6| to engage paper in the rack 53 and feed it to the printing machine. Instead of the pads 6! depending entirely upon friction, they may be made of soft rubber with vacuum cups '0 formed therein at intervals, as shown in Fig. 10. The friction pads ii are preferably made of sponge rubber, or some substance having a s1milar gripping property with respect to paper. As shown in Fig. 9, the friction pads 8| are narrow pads mounted upon metal strips 62, which fit in guides 63 permanentlymounted on the outer surface of the belt 38, whereby the number of the pads may be varied to suit paper of different weights and lengths, and also the pads may be renewed in case they become worn. The pads ii are shorter than the width of the belt, as seen in Fig. 5, whereby the belt may run over the disks at the ends of pulley 43 without the pads bearing against the disks or the pulley.

Carried by the adjustable bracket 54 (Figs. 1 and 3) is a short plate or step 64, upon which the lower end of a pile of sheets of paper rests. Also at the upper end, beneath the lower end of the feed belt 38, there is provided an inclined guide member 66 which, in cooperation with the plate 84, causes the sheets to be bowed, or to sag in the center, whereby when the top sheet is pulled by the feed belt 38, it is straightened and thus lifted clear of the stack at the center as shown in Fig. 3, which aids in the separation of the sheets by reducing the sliding friction between them.

end thereof being a short distance above the idler roller 41 and Just above the guide member 88. The extreme lower end is formed as curved guides 88 which are on each side of the feed belt 38, and which bear against idler disks 1| carried on a shaft 12 mounted in the yoke 48, as best seen in'Fig. 8. Attached to the lower end of. the arm 88 by means ofa hinge 13 is a yoke member 14. A compression spring 18, adjustable by usual knob and screw threaded means, serves to press the yoke member 14 toward the lower end of the arm 88. In the lower end of the yoke member 14 is mounted a shaft 11 which rubber separating member 18. The separating member 18 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, by means of a torsion spring 18, which has one end engaged by the separating member 18 and the other in the bearing at the end of the shaft. The separating member 18 thus resists turning in a clockwise direction, as seen in the drawings.

Connected to the arm 88 is a fork 8|, to which is connected a chain 82 which passes over a pulley 83 attached to the rack 53. The other end of the chain 82 is connected to an adjustable collar 84 mounted on a rod 88 pivotally connected at 81 to the rack 53. Also mounted on the rod 88 is a weight 88, which may be adjusted in its position on the rod whereby to vary the force of the chain 82 pulling against the fork 8|. The arrangement just described serves to force the separator assembly upwardly toward the feed belt 38, so that the guides 68 bear against the idler disk 1| at all times, regardless of the level of the paper in the rack. A counterweight roller 88 is carried by a yoke 8| which is pivotally mounted at 82 on the yoke assembly 48. r

' With the feed belt 38 driven in the direction shown by the arrows, the friction pads 8| come in contact with the top sheet of a pile of sheets in the rack 53, dueto the fact that they extend beyond the plane of the disks 88 and 51 and the top sheet, and possibly other sheets, are pulled upwardly by the friction pads. when the sheet reaches the separating member 18, it is engaged thereby, and if more than one sheet is bein moved, the separating member will detadh the lower sheet so that only a single sheet is carried upwardly along the rack. As the sheetor sheets of paper are drawn upwardly over the separating member 18, it is turned around its shaft against the action of the spring 18 until its lower edge is bearing against the sheet of paper above it, whereby the force and effect of the semi-cylindrical separating member is concentrated on a smaller area, and the effect of the torsion spring is to force the sheet backwardly. Thus if there be two sheets over the separating member, the lower sheet will not only be separated from the other, but will be forced backward on to the stack of sheets. Tightening the adjustment of the spring 18 increases the frictional engagement of the separating member 18 with the sheets of paper, while loosening the adjustment decreases the frictional engagement. By this means, and by means of the counterweight 88, the separating mechanism can beadjusted so as to accommodate itself to any class carries a semi-cylindrical soft at 1 on a curved guide H8.

or weight of paper being handled by the feeder. The torsion of the spring 18 may also be varied by changing the position of the shaft .11 by means of the kerf 88 provided in the end thereof, the shaft 11 being frictionally held in place will remain in any position it may be placed.

As the paper is carried upwardly, after being separated, it is engaged at the upper end of the rack 83 by means of a power driven soft rubber roller 84, which aids the feed belt 38 in delivering the sheet of paper on to the flat plate 88 forming the upper surface of the printing machine.

The paper in its travel toward the cylindrical platen 24 is guided by lateral guides 81 mounted on the bracket 83, and lateral guides 88 mounted on the flat top of the frame I4. These guides are all addusted' simultaneously by means of threaded shafts 88 and the shaft 48 which is also threaded. These shafts (see Figs. 11 to 13), extend through in threaded engagement with the-guides and have right hand threads on one end thereof and left hand threads on the other, and are connected by means of a shaft |8| through miter gears I82 and a universal coupling I83. A hand wheel I84 attached to one of the shafts serves to turn them all simultaneously through the media of the gears just described.

Detachably mounted on the lateral guides 88 by means of clips 85 are guides which lie above the moving sheets along their side edges. At I88 is shown a short resilient guide, which brings about an overlapping of the ends of the sheets when long sheets are being fed to the machine.

Each sheet of paper is carried forwardly on the top 88 of the machine by means of the friction pads 8|, toward the cylindrical platen 24. For the major portion of the distance between the rear edge of the top 88 and the idler pulley 44, the belt bends downwards by gravity, so that the pads 8| are in engagement with the sheet. The idler pulley 44 is elevated sufficiently above the top 88 that the belt and pads would clear a sheet of paper beneath them. Beneath the idler pulley 44 and extending slightly forwardly of it is a resilientmetal strip I88 over which each sheet is drawn, the object of which is to press the paper upwardly against the friction pads 8| and to insure a firm frictional engagement during the last portion of the travel of the paper. A movable wedge I81 is interposed beneath the plate I88 whereby the position at which the positive grip of the paper is brroken may be varied. This adjustment permits sheets of different weights and kinds to be delivered against fixed position stops beyond the feed belt.

The forward end of the sheet of paper S passes under a guide I88 (Fig. 14) and between upper guide I88 and lower guide III over a frictionally driven feed'roller H2, and thence into a wedge shaped pocket 3 formed between small rollers H4 and the cylindrical platen 24, when the cylindrical platen is in its raised or upper position. The small roller 4 is carried by an oscillatory arm 8 pivotally mounted (See Figs. 16 and 17.) The curved guides 8 (one on each side) are mounted on the ends of the lateral guides 88 whereby to be adjustable therewith. A spring 8 serves to cause the roller 4 to bear against the cylindrical platen 24 at all times.

The guide I88, shown in detail in Figs. 14, 20 and 21, comprises a hook I85 which is hooked over the shaft I32, and a lower bifurcated porwardly on the sheet.

tion III! which extends forwardly and serves to hold the sheet of paper down on the top it. The feeler element, tobe described later, is disposed between the arms'IIII. Fingers H8 attached to the arms I III hook over the feeler shaft IOI and serve to prevent the. guide from exerting too much downwardly pressure on the sheet. Pivotally connected to the forward end and beneath the guide I03 is a member I under which the sheet 8 passes, and which carries a soft rubber or similar friction tip I which bears down- When the sheet 8 has been brought to a stop by the rollers II4, the friction tip I25 resists backward movement of the sheet and holds it in place. i

In Figs. 18 and 19 I show a modified form of curved guides adapted for cooperatiomwith the cylindrical platen 24. In accordance with this modification, I provide on the side of the guide III a curved arm 3" which carries a plurality of rollers 3. The curved arm 3|! is pressed by a torsion spring 3i! in the direction to maintain the rollers 3I4 in contact with the cylindrical platen 24 in all positions thereof. forward roller 3 in cooperation with the cy drical platen acts as a stop member for the forward end of the sheet, as already described. With this form of guide, a better grip upon heavy sheets of paper is provided, and there is less danger of clogging of the press by failure of the platen to pull the sheets around.

The position of the friction pads 6| on the belt 38 is such, and themovement of the belt is so synchronized with the movement of the bed 22, that when the sheet of paper S reaches the point just described with its for-ward edge stopped by the roller I I4, the friction pads Si no longer engage the sheet, but the belt is so, disposed with respect to the top 98 that there is a slight brushing contact of the belt against the rear end of the sheet which is Just enough to hold the paper against the roller II4 until the time comes for it to be carried further on and printed.

The wedge shaped pocket II3, formed in the manner Just described, comprises an extremely accurate stop for the forward ends of the sheets of paper so that there is exact registry of printing matter whenever a sheet has been run through the machine more than once. It is understood that the paper assumes the position described when the-cylindrical platen 24 is in its upper position, and that the upper position of the cylindrical platen is the same every time it is raised.

When the cylindrical platen is lowered, it bears against the sheet of paper resting on the feed roller I I2, and its end bear against the side rails of the bed 22 so that it is rotated by frictional engagement therewith. As it is rotated counterclockwise, the paper is grlpped firmly between the cylindrical platen and the feed roller 2 and the small roller H4 and is guided by the curved guides II8 around the cyindrical platen, from whence it is delivered over a delivery roller I2I driven by a belt I22 from a shaft I32. Additional gripping of the paper in its travel around the cylindrical platen 24 is provided by fixed rollers IIOa in the curved guides I I8. An additional guide 320, disposed midway the ends of the platen, aids in guiding the sheet around the platen. Bearing downwardly on the delivery roller I2I at each side thereof is a ball I24 which is free to rotate in a sleeve I28 so that the sheet of paper is gripped between the delivery roller I2I and the ball 124. The delivery roller I2I The aesaess has a surface speed faster than the surface speed of the cylindrical platen 24, so that there is a slippage between the delivery-roller and the paper so long as it is under control of the cylindrical platen 24. As soon as the paper passes from between the cylindrical platen tothe feed roller H2 and small'roller I I4, it is quickly carried away by the delivery roller HI and delivered on to a laterally moving wide belt I21, and from thence it passes to a receiving rack I23 on the side of the machine. (See Fig. 1.) 0n leaving the belt I21 each sheet passes beneath an idler roller I 29, and over a rubber roller I21a driven by a belt I33 from the shaft 34, which providesa positive discharge of each sheet into the receiving rack.

The static electricity collected by the paper in its passage through the machine causes it to be attracted toward the metal of the frame of the machine. Unless some provision is made to overcome the effects of this attraction, the sheets of paper would become blocked in their delivery. By passing. them underneath the idler roller I29 over the power driven roller I21a, the paper is pulled away from the delivery belt and into the delivery rack before it is turned loose. When the paper is delivered from the delivery roller I2I on to the wide belt I21, it is stopped on its rearward travel by a pair of rotary disks I34 mounted on a plate I38, the position of which may be adJusted to accommodate difierent length sheets. The disks I34 rest upon the wide belt I21 and rotate therewith.

As the reciprocating bed 22 moves forward and backward, the printing form thereon is supplied with ink from an ink roller assembly I31. When the bed is completing its rearward movement,-the cylindrical platen 24 is lowered. When there is paper beneath the cylindrical platen 24, it is pressed against the printing setup and is held there against during the forward movement of the bed". When there is no paper beneath the cylindrical platen 24, it is immediately raised as the bed 22 moves forward, by mechanism to be described presently, and the circuit to the motor II is broken automatically so as to stop the machine.

The cylindrical platen is mounted on a shaft I38 extending therethrough and .protruding at the ends thereof to fit into vertical slots I formed in end members I (Figs. 23, 24). The vertical position of the cylindrical platen in the slots I39 is determined by the position of cams I42, one at each end of the cylindrical platen and having curved slots I40 through the ends of the shaft I38 extend. Bearing against each of the cams I42, at the top thereof, is a plate I43 carried by a cross member I44, which is normally pushed downwardly by a spring I46 bearing at its upper end against a cross member I41 which connects the two plates I 43. Carried by each of the plates I43 is a shaft I38 of the platen 24. As shown in Figs. 2 and 22 of the drawings, the cam I42 has just raised the cylindrical platen 24 to its highest position and the bed 22 is in its extreme righthand position. In that position, it will be noted that a lug I 44 carried by the bed 22 has struck the lower end I49 of the cam and moved it to the position shown. In this position, the upper surface of the cylindrical platen 24 at each end theroef is engaged by a brake shoe ISI having a stem I50 which extends upwardly through the cross members I44-and I41 and which is pressed roller 24 by. a spring when in downwardly against the I52 so as to prevent rotation thereof its upper idle position.

When the cylindrical platen is down in printing position, the ends bear against the side rails I55 and the platen is rotated by friction with the side rails and with the printing form. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the side rails at their ends are provided with depressions I66, so that as the bed reaches the end of its stroke, the cylindrical platen is supported clear of the side rails by the lower sides of the slots I46 and the cylindrical platen ceases to rotate and when again engaged by the side rails starts from a dead stop.

Extending across beneath the rear side of the cylindrical platen 24 is a feed roller II2 which is mounted in ball bearings I53 in the side frame of the machine. (See Figs. 15 and 22.) A leaf spring I54 serves to push the bearings upwardly, but not to a sufficient distance for the feed roller I I2 to contact with the cylindrical platen 24 when the latter is in its upper position, but

sufficiently so that the spring I54 is flexed and the feed roller is held yieldingly against the cylindrical platen when the latter is in its downmost position, so as to hold the paper thereagainst when the machine is printing.

When the cams I42 are thrown either to the position to hold the cylindrical platen 24 in its uppermost position or in its lowermost position, they are yieldingly held in that position by means of balls I65 (Fig. 24) hearing in sockets I56 in the cams (Fig. 22).

The operation of the cylindrical platen and of the machine itself is controlled by'a feeler mechanism, which will now be described.

Pivotally mounted on the side of the frame of the machine is a rocking member I51 carrying a segment I56 of a gear on its upper end which meshes with a gear I59 mounted on the shaft I6I which extends across the frame of the machine ahead of the cylindrical platen. Mounted near each end of the shaft I6I is an eccentric I62 which is adapted to turn in a yoke I63 to cause the yokes to reciprocate in vertical guides I64 in the side wall of the machine. Journalled on the lower end of each yoke is a roller I66.

The shaft I6I has mounted on its other end a torsion spring I61, which tends constantly to rotate the shaft counter-clockwise, as seen in F gs. 26 and 28 to 32 inclusive of the drawings. The shaft I6! is loosely connected to the gear I59 by means of a pin I66 which is fixed to the shaft and bears against a segmental boss I69 on the gear. By means of this connection the gear mav turn the major portion of a complete revolutinn without turning the shaft I6I.

The feeler mechanism on the shaft I6I consists in an elongated curved plate member "I pivo ed on a small bracket I12 to the shaft I6I. On the forward edge of the member I1I, as seen in Figs. 26 and 28, there is a small rubber tip I 3 which is non-rotatable. The curved member I1I is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 28. 29 and 30 of the drawings relatively to shaft I6I, by a tension spring I14, which normally holds the forward edge of the member I1I against the shaft. The member I13 is thus normally hold in the position shown with respect to the shaft I6I, so that when it assumes the position shown in Fig. 29 it has engaged an idler roller I16 mounted in the flat plate 96 of the machine and can turn no further due to the fact that, the center of the feeler tip is to the rear the forward edge of the member "I of a line drawn through the center of its pivot point and the center of the idler roller I16, and p is against the shaft I6I. Should there be a sheet of paper 8 being fed to the machine, between the tip I16 and the roller I16, when that sheet of paper is pulled forwardly by the action of the cylindrical platen 24, as seen in Fig. 31, it raises the tip I13 over the roller I16, and the spring I61 then rotates the shaft I6I to the position shown in Fig. 32 of the drawings. This causes a rotation of the eccentrics I62 sumciently to bring the yokes I63 and their rollers I66 to their lowest position.

Mounted on the forward end of the bed 22 in brackets I16 and I19 is a rocker shaft I6I having a hook I62 at one end thereof. The rocker shaft I6I is biasedby a spring I63 to draw the hook in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 26. The hook I62 is positioned to engage a roller I64 mounted on the lower end of the rocker member I61, when the bed 22 approaches the end of its forward travel. The member I51 is constrained to rock in the opposite direction by a spring I66 connected below the pivot point of the rocker member and to the frame of the machine. When the bed 22 is at the extreme end of its forward travel, which is the position shown in Figs. 22 and 26, of the drawings, the upper 'end of the member I51 with its gear I56 has been moved to its extreme left hand position, as shown in the drawing by the engagement of the hook I62 with the roller I64. This movement has rotated the gear I59 clockwise, and the segment I69, coming against the pin I 66, has rotated the shaft I6I in a clockwise direction to raise the rubber feeler tip I13 to its upper position so that the sheet of paper maypass freely beneath it. This movement rotates the eccentrics I62 in their yokes I63 to raise the yokes to the uppermost position. In this position, a shoulder I61 on the right hand yoke has been engaged by a hook I66 which is carried by member I69 pivoted at I9I to the frame of the machine. Mounted on the upper end of the member I69 is a roller I92 which engages one of the plate members I43, which latter move up and down with the cylindrical platen 24. Provided in one edge of the plate member I43 is a depression or cam surface I93 which the roller I92 is adapted to enter when the cylindrical platen is in its upmost position, permitting the hook I66 to engage the lug I61 and hold the feeler mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 26 of the drawings. When the cylindrical platen 24 later moves to its lowest position, the plate I43 moves downward and the roller I92 is moved out of the slot I93 to disengage hook I66 from the lug I61, allowing the shaft I6I with its feeler mechanism to rotate counter-clockwise to engage the paper if present, or the roller I16 if no paper is present, as already described.

When the reciprocatory bed 22 starts to move rearwardly, or to the left as shown in Figs. 22 and 26 of the drawing, the hook I62 releases the roller I64 and the spring I66 pulls the-lower end of the member I51 to the left so that the member I51 assumes the position shown in Fig. 27 of the drawings. In that position, the lug I69 has moved around to the opposite side of the pin,

I66 carried by the shaft I6I, leaving the shaft I6I free to rotate under the influence of the spring I61, as already described.

As before pointed out, when bed 22 has reached its extreme right hand posithe reciprocating tion, a lug I40 on the bed engages the lower end I40 of the cam I42, raising the cylindrical platen 24 to its upper position. In this position, the roller I02 is in the depression I00 and the frame I00 for the eccentric I02 is engaged by the hook I00 to hold it in its upper position with the feeler I10 rotated clockwise to its extreme position to receive paper, as seen in Figs. 27 and 28. i

The cylindrical platen 24 remains in its upmost position during the travel of the reciprocating bed 22 rearwardly. Just before the bed 22 reaches its extreme rearward position, a lug I04 carried by the bed 22 engages the lower end I40 of the cam I42, moving it to its other position to lower the cylindrical platen 24. (See Figs. 34 and 35.) When it is moved to its lower position, the plate I40 is lowered and the roller I02 moves out of the depression I 00 to release the hook I00, permitting the shaft I 0| to be rotated by the spring I01 to institute the feeler action already described.

The control of the cylindrical platen from the feeler mechanism will now be described.

Mounted on the side of the reciprocatory bed 22 (Figs. 34 and 35) near the rearward end thereof, is a member I00 which is pivoted at I01 and held in place by a screw I00 in a slot I00. which permits some longitudinal adjustment of the member (see Fig. 2). The member I00 is constrained in its pivotal movement by a screw 2". A spring 202 behind the member I00 serves to thrust it outwardly as far as the screw 2" will permit (see Fig. 36). At the rearward end of the member I00 is a roller 203 which, when the member I00 is in its outermost position with respect to the bed 22, lies in the path of the lower end I43 of the cam I42, so that under such conditions it will strike the lower end of the cam and raise the cylindrical platen'as the bed moves to the right, as seen in Figs. 34 and 35 of the drawings.

Slightly forwardly of the roller 200 on the member I00 is a lug 204 having a rounded nose 200. When the bed 22 has moved to a position to begin the printing stroke, and the cylindrical platen has been lowered by reason of the engagement of the cam I40 with the lug I04, and there is a sheet of paper beneath the cylindrical platen 24 to be pulled through beneath the feeler tip I" so that the shaft III is rotated to the left, the roller I00 on the lower end of the eccentric yoke I 03 moves downwardly to its lowest position, as seen in Fig. 34, and engages the rounded nose 200 of the member 204, causing it to be pushed inwardly of the bed as the bed moves forwardly, thus moving the roller 203 out of the path of the cam arm I40, and permitting the cylindrical platen 24 to remain in its lowest po sitlon, where it is rotated by contact with the side rails of the bed, pulling the sheet of paper through and in contact with the printing form on the reciprocating bed 22.

Should there be no sheet ofpaper beneath the cylindrical platen 24, the feeler mechanism will not be actuated by reason of the fact that the feeler tip I13 is prevented from passing the roller I10, as already described. as the bed moves rearwardly, and the roller I00 will remain in a position above the lug 204, so that the roller 200 under such circumstances engages the cam arm I40, raising the cylindrical platen 24 from the bed, and there is no engagement with the printing form.

Mounted on the side of the frame of the machine is a switch 201 for controlling the motor ll,whichmaybeoperatedmanuallybyabutton .200, or automatically by the movement of the bed 22 responsive to failureof paper supply throughthemachine. 'lheswitch 20'Iisactuated directly from a ratchet and pawl mechanism 200. 6

2| 0 which extends into the path of travel of a 10 lug 2H carriedbythemember I00.

When paper is being fed to the machine and the roller I00 strikes the lug 204 to hold the member I00 inwardly of the bed 22, the lug 2" passes freeely past the finger 2" and the switch 15 is notactuated. Should there be a failure of the paper feed, however, the roller I00 remains in its upper position out of the path of the lug 204, as already described, and the lug 2| 1 then strikes the finger 2" as the bed 22 moves to the right, actu- 2 ating the switch 201 to shut off the motor. The shaft 2" of the switch 201 extends through the sleeve 2 to the button 200, so that, by means of the button 200, the switch may be actuated manually independently of its actuation by the 25 0n the opposite side of the machine there is a trip arm 2Il which is similar to the trip arm 2 Just described and which operates in a similar manner. The lower end of the arm 2II, how- 3 ever, is bent round at 220 to form the hammer for a warning bell 220. Should there be a failure of paper feed the trip arm is struck by the lug 204 and the bell 220 is rung.

The arm 2 is biased to hold the finger 2I0 3 in the path of the lug 2II by a torsion spring 222 having one end secured in a small plate 223 and the other to a collar 224 secured to the arm 2. When starting the machine, it is, of

course, necessary that the machine continue to 4 operate until paper reaches the cylindrical platen 24. This is accomplished by means to hold the finger 2" out of the path of the lug 2". A pin 220 secured to the collar 224 extends into the path of a disk 22I mounted on a stem 220 and is forced inwardly of the machine by means of a spring 220. This holds the finger 2" normally in the path of the lug 2". If it be desired to withdraw the finger 2I0 from the path of the lug 2", a button 23I 220 is held outwardly manually, which will permit the machine to continue to run.

Mounted on the side of the frame, above the end of the shaft I", is a sheet counter 2" of on the end of the stem 5 standard commercial construction, which need 55 not be described in detail. This sheet counter is actuated from the shaft I through the medium of a small chain 22I. When a sheet of paper passes through beneath the cylindrical platen 24 and the shaft I 0| is turned to its extreme position by the spring I01 due to the sheet of paper passing beneath it, then, and only then, is the shaft moved far enough by the spring I 01 to actuate the counter 2I0. Thus the counter is actuated only when a sheet of paper passes through the machine and is printed.

From the foregoing description the operation of my improved printing press will be apparent.

The sheets to be printed are placed in the rack 53 beneath the forward end of the feed belt 00.

Inasmuch as the yoke 40 in which the forward pulley 41 is located is pivoted at its upper end, the yoke swings by gravity around its pivot point to accommodate itself to difi'erent height of stacks of sheets. As the sheets are fed from the stack, 

